Personal computers (PCs) consume a relatively high amount of power when fully powered on. Therefore, to help conserve energy and battery power, PCs are sometimes put into a lower-power sleep state, but as a result do not have the same processing capabilities as when fully powered on. To power the PC back on from such a sleep state, the PC may be woken up.
However, as recognized herein, many users desire “always-on” functionality for their PCs just as they do for their smartphones and tablets, which typically do not enter the same type of deep sleep states as PCs. As also recognized herein, one reason for this is so that users can provide voice input to a digital assistant operated by the PC whenever they wish, without having to wait the relatively lengthy amount of time it takes for the PC to be awoken from its sleep state to then be able to process the input using the digital assistant. There are currently no adequate solutions to the foregoing computer-related, technological problem evident in these competing power saving and always-on interests.